Serrated Confessions and the Like
by darkwings09
Summary: [Oneshot] After recieving a cold rejection from Echizen Ryoma, Sakuno finds solace in another else's arms...And this time, Ryoma is still in a bit turmoil. [AtobexSakuno with mild RyoSaku]


**Serrated Confessions and the Like**

**By darkwings09**

**Disclaimer: I do not, and will never, own Tennis no Oujisama. But since I wrote this fanfic, then I only own the plot, ne?**

**Author's twaddle chatters before proceeding:**

**I recently fell in love with the AtoSaku pairing…Fufufu… so I'm writing this one. Oh, and on such a short notice, this contains mild RyoSaku! Yay! Er…I just hope you can enjoy reading this one-shot as much as I enjoy writing this !**

**Okay, so on with the story! **

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Both of them stood there in an ominous silence.

Seeing the sun set in the horizon is the perfect romantic scenery. Yup, it really is. Yet, even Sakuno never noticed the way nature tends to bring the best of it. And yes, today was the very day she will confess her love for him.

Neither of them even dared to utter even a single syllable. Time practically stood in a standstill. And that was it, Sakuno fidgeting the hem of her skirt in an awkward manner and Ryoma raising an eyebrow at her.

She felt like she was literarily rooted on the ground as a bead of sweat slid down to her flushed cheek. But still, there ought to be no time to lose. Whether to speak it up or not, it was up to her…

It's because the case is…to declare it now or never.

"Ano…Ryoma-kun…" she stuttered as a blush crept to swathe her features. Yes, there's no way she can back out now. To confess her true feelings for him is her chief reason why she is situated there, standing in front of him and trying hard to complete even a sole word. Her mouth, faintly trembling as she spoke, leaves much to be desired.

Ryoma merely nodded, encouraging her to say even a teensy weensy syllable. After all, they were almost standing there for almost thirty minutes or maybe even _more_. And now, he was, sad to say, quite infuriated by the fact that she had called him a while ago for an urgent business. And he thought it was vital, maybe because of the way she sounded when she had called him.

"I…" she tried once again, hoping that she might have a tiny chance that she might actually say those 'three most significant' words now. Yes, now and nothing more.

She gathered all her guts and breathed in and out. Right, there was no way she will back out now. All she needed to state is how he became a _hefty _part of her life.

Unbeknownst to them, someone's witnessing her pretty anomalous confession.

Atobe Keigo a.k.a Hyoutei Gakuen Chuutoubu's resident diva stride beside the bricked wall with his infamous wily smirk plastered on his face. He was sitting on the wooden old-fashioned bench a minute ago, that is, until he grew bored and weary upon waiting for his faithful Kabaji to return. Why not? After all, what he's witnessing now is something you won't stumble upon everyday.

'Echizen and that auburn-haired girl, ehn?' he thought as he leaned quietly against the said wall with his sneer never fading, 'Ore-sama will surely witness something unusual today. Ne, Kabaji?'

Well, since his trustworthy companion is not present _recently _because of an errand he himself had given to Kabaji, then he would rather take his own feedback as a 'yes'

"I…like you…"

Yup. Those were the words she had desired so much to declare, her love, her feelings, and her dedication…for him. With that came the sudden urge to tell everything in great self-confidence. Well, since she had already commenced it, then she might as well finish it. Her eyes then sparkled with the warmness she had felt it would likely do so every time she looks upon him in those mesmerizing golden orbs of his.

Ryoma blinked twice prior to gazing fixedly at her almost crumbling figure. What did she just say?

_'I like you'_

He stood there, bewildered and dumbfounded, although curious at the same time.

She took another lungful of air ahead of continuing what she had said.

"Whenever I'm around Ryoma-kun…it felt like eternity to me…" she managed to utter those words as her eyes squeezed to a shut, "…It seems…that I'm…falling…for you"

Okay, what's this? A solitary confession or something? Oh, how he hated those kinds of stuffs rabid fan girls tell him almost always. And yeah, love is for the pathetic, for the weak and for those who are fanatical and damn lunatic. And now here she is, declaring something he didn't want to understand at all.

Still, today seemed… unique, an exceptional. Wait, why's that?

A wryly frown replaced the usual smirk upon Atobe's features. So this really is a confession, a kinda confidential one at that. Now, his curiosity deepens more as he attempted and struggled to hear the hardly inaudible conversation of the 'Lovebirds' of Seigaku.

"No. I'm sorry…" Ryoma murmured to Sakuno as he tugged the brim of his Fila cap lower to his eyes. He's feeling quite dizzy today, and now he is in a total trouncing.

Sakuno was very speechless, and time again virtually stood in a standstill. No, this can't be happening, but maybe…it is. She felt as if her flimsy heart broke into a million pieces, never to be mended once more. A tear soon made its solitary way down to her still flushed cheeks. As expected of him, a cold and stony image one at that, he would never accept a girl's adoration.

"Oi, Ryuuzaki, your crying" he notified her as he immediately stared at her image. Never before had he became this tensed _over _a girl, and never before had he seen her like a pitiable little girl grieving over a certain loss of her mother. He felt guilty and remorseful, but nothing more.

Sakuno bit her lip as she bowed her head. Her heart, still bleeding and her soul, now broken. It wasn't really his fault, and she didn't blame him. That was the way Kami-sama found his being, a man with a cold façade and an arrogant life form.

She tried so hard to cease her tears from falling, and yet, she couldn't.

"I'm very sorry, Ryoma-kun, for wasting your time…" she told him between soft sobs, "…I'm regretting what have I said earlier. I'm truly sorry, Ryoma-kun"

"Don't be" a serious and stoic reply from his mouth came about. He's really confused, do you know that? No, not that he wholly rejected her, but something's overwhelming him. Something inexplicable. And, he's got that wistful feeling that this might happen to be the longest minute of his life.

Atobe now gave a furtive glare at the figure of Echizen Ryoma. How could he, of all people? Such a disgrace and dishonor is not worthy enough for- that girl! He rejected her, someone as fine as a _rose_, and that was it?

Ryoma was clueless on what was happening, but after she stated her last 'I'm sorry' phrase did he started to think otherwise. And now, he watched the helpless creature struggle with her own feelings as she decided to run away from him instead of bearing the sandwiched silence between them.

He wanted to go after her and tell him that he's truthfully sorry. Really, he is. But his pride and arrogance didn't allow him to do such things as that. Those were the traits he possessed, the rebel ones with full control over his cold façade. And with his profound confusion, he gave up and turned back to the direction of what we call 'home'

Atobe merely gave out a soft grunt and headed back to the bench where he sat a while ago. Then again, he felt sympathy and consideration for the poor girl.

Suddenly, Kabaji appeared out of nowhere, handing over those school papers to him. Atobe then sent him home… as a reward for running an errand for him.

"Usu"

And in an instant, Kabaji no longer stood behind him.

Until, he saw the certain 'twin-braided' girl crying her heart out, behind the Sakura tree beside the bench where he sat on. Look at her, his ostensibly empty mind seems to say, can't you feel any empathy for her?

Without doubt, he approached her crumbling figure and leaned against the opposite side of the said Sakura tree. He closed his eyes gently and listened to her light muffles and sobs. And yeah, the wind blew violently than before.

"I'm sorry…Ryoma-kun…" those were the words that pitiful girl manage to utter between soft sobs. He knew how fragile her heart and how hurt she was, that was, because of his superior ability of his Insight.

Sakuno suddenly stood vigilantly and calmly as she dusted her skirt and gazed at the skies. It was soon getting dark; her obaa-san might scold her for coming home late.

As she turned to go, she gasped at the figure before her.

"A-Atobe-san…" she stammered in a complete turmoil as she stared at those eyes of his. No, this isn't any reverie and she's certainly not in 'Dreamland' either.

He handed over his delicate handkerchief to her.

She blinked twice and plainly stared at the said person. Then, she gently brushed the tears that are still, uncontrollable and undesirable. But at the same time, she is astonished-no, shocked is a better word. The Atobe Keigo she knew and heard about was haughty and maybe even cold like Ryoma-kun, himself. He is also ignorant, but that doesn't explain the kind of situation she was in.

"Ano…Atobe-san…Arigatou…demo…" she stuttered as she refused to take his handkerchief. After all, to her, he was a total stranger and a rather baffling figure. And now, here he is, standing in front of her with that serious look plastered on his face.

"If ore-sama insists this, then you should at least take this, ehn?" he persisted as he took her in his arms and locked her petite body with an embrace. Any girl in her place would literarily melt like chocolate, and he knew it. Still, Sakuno isn't like any other fan girl. And she's not even _a fan girl _of his.

Wait, scratch the last thought. What exactly is he thinking about? And why in hell is he doing this? Well, the accurate answer lies in his own head, anyway. A part of him reasoned that he did _that_ because he only felt sympathy for her, and the other one reasoned that he did _that _and _that _again because…well, it was his own free will.

A blush quickly covered her features as she clutched on his shirt and closed her eyes. There, she felt safe and secured. Nothing can harm her; the warm atmosphere that enveloped her signifies so.

How could a supposedly cold person be this warm?

With that, he quickly broke the embrace and looked at the girl in front of him. Her auburn hair, although messy by that time, looks finicky under the moonlight. She was staring at him whilst him staring at her.

"Forgive ore-sama for his behavior. I'm sorry" he apologized as he tore his gaze from her to the Sakura tree in front of them. She too, looked keenly at the said tree.

It was surely a spectacular thing to see. With those flowery buds and pinkish traits seemingly dancing with glee, the moment she was sure to treasure forever.

A lukewarm smile tugged her lips.

The corners of his mouth curved to a light smirk.

Sometimes the best way to get over a certain problem is to be with someone, whether the opposite gender or not, watching the old Sakura tree and its flowery buds dance around with the wind like little children dancing for merriment.

And more unexpectedly, she appreciated Atobe Keigo's presence above all things. He, a pure stranger to her world, managed to make her lighten up a bit.

That night, he even accompanied her home, and the burden she once felt became lighter.

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After finishing those last-minute chores and correlated stuffs in school, Sakuno sighed as she finished packing up her things before going straight to home. This day seems more like a normal day…and concerning a certain cat-eyed boy; she managed to utter 'Ohayou' without any trouble at all.

As soon as she finished packing, she turned towards the exit and kept the door shut for the rest of the day.

Striding as fast as her legs can carry her, she exited the school building.

Meanwhile, Momo and Kikumaru peered through the Tennis clubroom's small transparent window and noticed little Sakuno acting not so normal today. And that only meant one thing…

"O'chibi! What have you done to Sakuno-chan now?! Spill it out or else!" Kikumaru scolded Ryoma as the poor freshman currently struggled from his other senpai's grip.

"Echizen! How shameful of you! You can't treat Ryuuzaki-chan like that, you just can't!" Momo snapped at his kouhai and continued to strangle with him.

"Itte…Momo-senpai!" Ryoma bellowed as he managed to break through the deadly grip of his senpai, lowering the brim of his cap down to his eyes, he murmured, "…I didn't do anything wrong"

"Yes you did, bratling! You can't run hot and cold like that, you know!? Treating a girl like that is a total dishonor" Momo told his kouhai as he shook his head in disappointment.

Ryoma tugged the brim of his cap down to his eyes once again to hopefully cover that remorseful look plastered on his face.

"Nya, Momo, o'chibi! Come here! Look…!" Kikumaru stammered in utter disbelief as he pointed outside the window.

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"A-Atobe-san…" Sakuno stammered once again as she spotted Atobe leaning against the wall. She was about to turn to the opposite direction to head home but saw him instead, and seeing him again made her flush a hundred beets of red.

Atobe clearly saw that innocent look of hers. Why is he here again? Oh yeah, he accidentally stumbled upon Seishun Gakuen and stayed there for a bit. After all, Kabaji was present now, and he'd rather stand there and do nothing.

Unfortunately, Oshitari and the rest of the Hyoutei tennis regulars trailed the direction where their buchou headed. And now, they're witnessing something impenetrable.

"Ano…Domou Arigatou…for yesterday" she thanked him with an affectionate smile tugging her lips.

"Heh. It's not really something to thank about, ne?" he told her with that sly smirk plastered on his face. He liked it when she tanned a bit and did not managed to look directly at him. With that, he lifted her chin up and noticed the troubled look on her face, "…After all, ore-sama only meant to help Sakuno-chan, ne, Kabaji?"

"Usu"

As always, he likes it when he's in full control.

She blushed a hundred beets of red and stammered an 'I'm going now, thanks' statement and ran away because of embarrassment. Still, the heat and warmness she once felt around Echizen Ryoma began to produce an inevitable feeling once more.

Gakuto felt like he needs to vomit. Oshitari stared at Atobe with that creepy smirk plastered on his face. And Jirou, well, isn't even too excited about it; save the snores he had produced. Shishido's eyes were as big as the size of small oranges.

Kikumaru and Momo couldn't believe what they are witnessing right now. Their jaws merely dropped. That monkey king and Sakuno-chan?! Are they hallucinating or something? No, this can't be. Both tore their gaze from the outside of the window to their kouhai.

Ryoma was stunned…very stunned. Not that he cared too much about it but…

"Ne, o'chibi, you lost…" Kikumaru told his kouhai in a solemn tone. He knew this; Ryoma might have feelings for the girl. And he's trying this to make him spit it out.

"Echizen…defeated? Man, you gave her up like that? Why did you stoop so low? It's too late to do anything more, Echizen, too late…" Momo further explained to his kouhai- more like reprimanded him.

Those words of his senpai-tachi sank in his mind. This is reality, and he can no longer escape such spitefulness fate has given him.

He lost…

…And now lost her.

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**Konnichiwa, minna-san! **

…**And, please pray for my grandmother. She's currently in the hospital. I don't want to lose her. Please do so, and many thanks to all, for the cooperation and everything…**

**Reviews are pretty much appreciated, thank you!**

**Darkwings09**


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